Drone-bee trap



(No Model.)

H. ALLEY.

DRONE BEE TRAP.

No. 307,737. I Patented Nov. 1l, 1884.

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HENRY ALLEY, OF VVENHAM, MASSACHUSETTS,

RONDBEE TRAP.

filECIFCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,737, dated November 1l, 1884:.

Application tiled January 2l, 15S-i. (No model.)

[u @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY ALLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at fenham, in the county of Essex and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Drone-Bee rlrap, of which the following is a specificati on.

My invention relates to apparatus used in apiculture for entrapping drone-bees, which consume honey but do not gather it.

The object of my inventionis to provide improved means for separating the drone-bees from the rest of the colony andV securely entrapping the same, to be disposed of at the pleasure of the apiarist.

The invention, hereinafter described, is enibodied in a portable box to be used in connection with a bee-hive, and into which the bees are all received as they come from the hive, and from which the workeirb'ees freely pass into the open air while the drones are en trapped.

Referring tothe accompanying drawings, in which similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, Figure l is a front view ofthe drone-bec trap. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of t-he front half as seen from the rear. Fig. is a crosssection showing the invention in connection with a beehive placed in position for use.

A, Fig. l, is a portable box embodying my invention.

B is the receiving-apartment, provided with opening c, for admitting the bees as they come from the hive through the opening z'.

bis the front wall of apartment B, made 1novable,'and arranged to slide in grooves at top and bottom, and is perforated with holes or slots et' sufiicie'nt size to allow the workerbees to freely pass and repass, but too narrow for the passage ozt" a drone or queen bee, on account of the larger size of these last-named bees. A diameter of five thirty-seconds oit' an inch has been found, the proper size for these holes or slots.

C is the trap-chamber communicating with reeeiving-apartment B by conical tubes c and c', of size suflicient for the passage of drone and queen bees. These tubes c and c are shown as made of wire-cloth; but any material may he employed which will admit t-he light, and also present within chamber C a thin edge,whieh will prevent the bees from returningtthrough them to receiving-apartment B.

cl and d are openings through the front wall of chamber C', opposite and near to tubes c and c', for the admission of light, and covered with wire-cloth to prevent the escape of the bees.. Glass may be used to cover these openings, but the wire-cloth is preferable for the admission of air as well as light.

f is the top of box A, arranged to slide in grooves, and perforated in the same manner as slide b, for the escape of any worker-bees which may possibly pass up with the drones through the tubes c and o.

g and g are two inclined partitions, and h and h/ are two covers to openings in the floor o'fchamber C, all ot' which are perforated in the same manner as the slides b and f, to allow the downward passage of such workerbees as would return to the hive from trapchaniber C. are thus placed to prevent the holes in h and 7L from becoming clogged by the bees resting upon them, while h and 7i prevent the dronebees, in their efforts to escape from apartment B, from filling and clogging the angular spaces above them.

D, Fig. 3, represents a portion of a bee-hive having my invention in position for use, and so arranged that as the bees pass through the hive-opening t' they enter directly into receiving-apartment B, and while the worker-bees will naturally pass through perforated slide b the drones, being too large to follow them, will, in endeavoring to gain the open air, pass up into the lighted chamber C, where they will be securely entrapped. Should any worker-bees follow them into chamber C, they can pass up through slide j", or can pass back through partitions y and li. The busy habits ofthe worker-bees will not admit of their remaining in chamber C withr the drones. rlhus, on a pleasant day, when the drone-bees ily abroad, all the drones in acolony of bees may be separated from the rest of the colony, to be disposed of at the pleasure of the apiculturist, while the worker-bees can proceed with their accustomedtoil, passing in and out of roo the hive without interruption.

In Fig. 3 is shown a different method of using The inclined partitions g and g.

trap-chamber C, by which the bees are allowed to pass directly from the hive to the chamber C through` openings j and tube 0.

As it is not essential to my invention, I do not propose to confine myself to the use of any specified number of tubes c, but may employ one or more, as may seem desirable. Neither is the conical form of said tubes indispensable, as straight or curved tubes of equal diameter throughout may be successfully used.

In natural swarming my invention may be used to advantage. Being placed in position at the opening of the hive previous to the issue of the swarm, the worker-bees Willreadily pass through slide b into the open air, while the queen-bee, being too large to follow themwill pass up into the trap-chamber C, and can then be removed with the trap and used to collect the swarm wherever desirable, and thus prevent the escape and loss of the swarm.

It will be perceived that in queen raising the use of the trap will give the apiarist full control of the drones in his apiary. He can entrap and confine the undesirable ones and can let such fly as hc may choose.

I do not claim as new the several parts of Inyinvention when taken separately. l

Vhat I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The drone-bee trap having receivingapartment B, provided with entrance a and perforated side I), and having trap-chamber C, provided with tubes c and c', top slide, f, openings d and d, and partitions g and g, 7L and 11,', substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

2. rlhe combination, in a drone-bee trap having trap-chamber C, provided with one or more tubes for the entrance of the bees, and having one or more apertures for the escape of the worker-bees, said apertures being too small for the passage of drone or queen bees, of the receivingapartment B, having entrance a and vperforated side b, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the bee-hive or other receptacle containing bees, drone-trap A, having entrance a, apartment B, perforated side b, tube or tubes c and c, and trap-chamber C, having one or more perforations for the escape of worker-bees, said apertures being too small for the passage of drone or queen bees, substantially as shown and described.

HENRY ALLEY. Witnesses:

SILAs M. LocKE, C. 'WARREN BROWN. 

